What Side Dishes Go with Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Who says you have to order hamburgers and hotdogs with your meal?

In fact, they’re often so good on their own, that it’s easy to forget that they’re supposed to be eaten as part of a complete meal.

What’s more, if you offer a variety of tempting side dishes, you may find that your guests won’t even realize that they’re eating a “burgers and hotdogs” meal.

By the way, did you know that some people actually consider french fries to be a vegetable? If you don’t believe me, just ask a vegetarian.

In any case, there’s no reason why your hamburgers and hotdogs platter should consist only of a basic meat patty, a bun, and a pickle. Consider offering one or more of the following tasty side dishes…

Read Also:

• What Salad Goes With Hamburgers? (15 Best Salads)
• Hamburger Wine Pairing: The Best Wines for Hamburgers

What To Serve with Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Lettuce and tomato

Lettuce and tomato are a classic combination and are very healthy for you. They contain loads of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C, and both are low in calories.

Cucumber slices and salad

Hamburgers and hotdogs are such a regular part of our diet, it’s easy to forget that they were once considered a rare treat!

The key to serving these dishes is to make sure you have lots of fresh, crisp vegetables on hand. Cucumber slices are delicious with burgers and dogs, and you can also use radishes, celery sticks, and carrot sticks.

Mixed Vegetables

Another great side dish to accompany a burger or a hotdog is a simple mixed vegetable side.

Cooked vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber which is good for your gastrointestinal tract.

They are also low in calories, and so you don’t need to worry about overloading yourself with food if you are eating them with a hamburger or hot dog.

You can prepare them in a variety of ways, but one of the easiest is steaming them for a short period of time until tender, and then drizzling them with a little olive oil and seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Iceberg lettuce and tomato slices

You can’t go wrong with iceberg lettuce and tomato slices. They are both low in calories, making them perfect for portion control and watching your weight. And they’re easy to eat! Just pop a few into your mouth, chew slowly and thoroughly, and then wash it down with a swig of water.

Coleslaw

A simple option that goes down a treat with kids and adults alike! Slice up some coleslaw and serve it on the side with your hamburgers and hotdogs.

It has a lovely crunch and provides an excellent contrast in texture. The addition of raisins or dried cranberries will add a delightful sweetness.

Use a combination of white cabbage, red cabbage, and green cabbage if you can get them all in one shopping bag. It’s a great way to use up any leftovers you might have from other meals.

Macaroni salad

This is a classic American side dish that’s light, refreshing, and goes well with many different types of foods.

It’s a good option for a last-minute addition to your picnic basket or for a dish that you can pop into a bag and take to a party or other event.

You can make the dressing the night before and simply add the pasta to a large bowl and toss with the dressing just before eating.

The flavors meld beautifully together and it has a wonderful “just-like-mother-used-to-make” quality.

Baked Beans

Baked beans is a great side dish to serve with burgers and hotdogs. It’s also a good option if you want to make a “clean” meal a little more filling.

It’s easy to make, and takes only minutes to cook. Plus, it’s an inexpensive and healthy option.

Mixed Green Salad

The easiest side dish to serve with hamburgers and hotdogs is a mixed green salad. It’s simple, fast, and easy to make, and goes with almost any kind of burger.

The key is not to make it too pretty… rather leave it plain and simple so that it lets the flavor of the burgers and dogs shine through.

Colcannon

Colcannon is another classic starchy side dish that you can serve with burgers and hotdogs. The Irish make this with cabbage, which adds an extra element of interest.

You can make colcannon with either white or red cabbage.

The potato and onion provide a good source of starch, as well as some fiber.

Roasted sweet potato wedges

You can make this simple side in advance and simply reheat them in the oven when your guests arrive. It’s a great side to enjoy when you’re having friends over for a barbeque.

It’s delicious with the rich flavor and flavor-packed meat of your burgers and hotdogs.

Cornbread

You can always serve cornbread with your favorite burger. However, if you’re looking for a side dish that won’t go to waste, it’s a wonderful accompaniment to the sweet and savory flavors of hamburgers.

The sweet and salty flavors of the hotdog, and the sharp flavor of the ketchup will be balanced perfectly by the slightly sticky, light crumbly texture of the cornbread.

When cooking cornbread in an air fryer, you might find that it tends to become a little soggy. If this happens, simply pop it into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes, or until it is golden brown.

Carrot Fries

If you are looking to add more veg to your burger, these carrot fries are a delicious option. They’re a healthy alternative to traditional fries, and they’re a great accompaniment to any protein-rich meal.

You can make them in the oven in the microwave or in an air fryer. The air fryer option is really easy and fast!

They are simple to prepare and the carrots take on a light and refreshing flavor when cooked. You won’t need a lot of oil, so they’re a guilt-free option.

Vegetable soup

This tasty vegetable soup is packed full of fresh vegetables and it comes together in a matter of minutes!

The trick to achieving a delicious, balanced flavor is to use a good quality tomato paste, add in a bit of garlic, and stir through a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. You can also sprinkle in a dash of chili powder or cayenne pepper.

A few of the vegetables that you might want to include in this soup are zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, celery, carrots, peas, and corn.

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted broccoli is an easy side dish that pairs well with burgers and hotdogs, and will take your meal from ordinary to extraordinary!

The broccoli is roasted with a bit of oil and garlic and seasoned with your favorite spices.

Kale Chips

Here’s a recipe that I have made for years! It’s a quick and easy side dish that is healthy, tasty, and full of flavor.

Kale chips are the perfect accompaniment to a juicy burger or spicy sausage. The addition of walnuts provides a lovely nutty crunch.

This recipe makes a good vegetarian option too because it contains no animal products, which is always nice.

The secret to achieving those lovely crispy bits is to ensure that you parboil your potatoes, and give them a really good shake in a colander before drizzling in a little oil or cooking spray, sprinkling over your stock cube, and then cooking for a little longer.

Homemade Potato Chips

Homemade potato chips are delicious and very easy to make, but they’re also much healthier than the factory-made variety.

They’re great for kids, because they’re low in fat, and they’re full of flavor. You can get them crispy and crunchy or more delicately soft and chewy, and the choice is all yours!

They’re also very cheap to make. It’s best to buy your potato chips when you need them rather than keeping them in the freezer.

You can freeze them, but they lose their crispness, so you might find it best to buy a fresh batch of chips.

Roasted butternut squash

Here’s an incredibly tasty side dish to go with your hamburgers and hotdogs.

Butternut squash is a great source of fiber, and with the addition of spices and maple syrup, it also has an addictive flavor that makes this side dish a great accompaniment to your favorite burger or hotdog.

To prepare this recipe, you’ll need to roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place the cut side of the butternut squash into a baking pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender.

Grilled Portobello mushrooms

These grilled mushrooms are so delicious and filling that you’ll hardly need a burger.

The portobello mushrooms have a wonderful earthy flavor, so they pair really well with the smoky flavor from the burgers.

They’re packed full of fiber and nutrients, and the simple grill cooking method leaves the mushrooms tender and soft.

Broccoli and Cheese Baked Potato Cakes

These potato cakes are a great addition to your next burger feast, and they’re also ideal as a quick snack when you’re hungry mid-morning or after work.

Baked potato cakes are simple to make. You need healthy and nutritious food such as broccoli, which is rich in fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and folic acid.

A baked potato contains only about 1/2 cup of potato, so they’re easy to share!

Macaroni salad

Macaroni salad is perfect for people who are watching their carbs because it contains no grains whatsoever.

It can be made either with or without mayonnaise, and you can add whatever veggies and/or protein-rich items you like.

Be sure to serve it on a bed of lettuce, or at least mixed in with other vegetables. Lettuce provides a neutral backdrop against which the delicious flavors of macaroni salad can really stand out.

If you decide to go with the mayo option, you should try to get the kind that is free from sugar and other junk. The natural kind is fine too. Mayonnaise is a wonderful source of fat, but the type you buy in the store is almost certainly heavily processed and contains a lot of sugar.

It’s also high in calories. When you make your own, using pure olive oil as your base, you will have much lower calorie and lower fat content. Just be careful not to make it too thin or else the dish will be unpalatable.

Mac and Cheese

This is a great side dish that can be customized to suit your family’s preferences. It has a satisfying cheesy flavor and is very high in protein. It is also easy to make and only requires a short simmering time.

It can be served warm or cold and makes an ideal lunchbox or school-bag filler.

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is known to contain an enzyme called “asparaginase” which breaks down asparagine into other amino acids that the body can use for energy.

It’s a great pre-workout food because it contains high levels of the B-vitamins necessary for muscle energy. It also has lots of vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. All of these nutrients will give your body the fuel it needs to help you build lean muscle and recover from intense workouts!

The smoky flavor of the oven roasting enhances the natural sweetness of the asparagus. And the Parmesan adds a delicious cheesy flavor. This is a simple side dish that won’t take

Mashed Potatoes

This is a classic, easy side dish that goes with just about anything. Try it with some barbecued spareribs or baked beans. Or make it with leftover roast chicken and have it for lunch the next day.

Mashed potatoes are an excellent source of both potassium and zinc, two important minerals for healthy skin, nails, and mucous membranes. They also contain an impressive amount of vitamin B6, which is good for your immune system. And finally, they are very low in fat, so they will help you maintain appropriate body weight.

Serving size: 1/2 cup (per person)

Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese and Almonds

Mixed greens are one of those easy, cheap ingredients that can be enhanced by adding a little imagination.

If you’re in a hurry, you could use packaged coleslaw mix instead.

Serve the mixed greens with a small bowl of sliced almonds and a few flakes of goat cheese.

Cauliflower gratin

Cauliflower gratin has a light, silky texture and a hint of spice, which goes beautifully with a beef burger or hot dog.

In this recipe, I’ve used a cauliflower cheese sauce as it provides a really creamy consistency. You could also substitute it for Béchamel Sauce (see below).

You could also substitute the cauliflower for some other veggie that suits you, such as broccoli, butternut squash, or even a roasted sweet potato.

Roasted butternut squash and cranberries

Cranberries and squash are excellent complements to each other, and when roasted in healthy oil, they make for a delicious side dish.

Butter is best used to roast vegetables rather than to coat the outside of the veg, and this is why coconut oil is so great. You can use it in place of the olive oil and still achieve the same wonderful flavor.

Steamed Carrots

These steamed carrots are simple and delicious. They are a great way to add some color and sweetness to your plate when you are serving hamburgers and hot dogs.

Steamed carrots are easy to prepare, they cook in just 10 minutes, and they are ready in no time.

All you need is a saucepan, a lid, and 4 cups of water. Add a pinch of sea salt and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and you are done. You could also add a little honey if you like.

If you like your carrots extra sweet, you could try adding a small piece of peeled fresh ginger root.

Celery Sticks

Celery is a great source of potassium which aids in muscular contraction.

Celery also contains apigenin, a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

And celery is one of the best sources of fiber (both soluble and insoluble) in the entire plant kingdom. This means that it helps to promote regularity by binding with toxins in the intestines and removing them from the body.